Muromachi period

Named for a part of Kyoto, this period produced some of Japan's most treasured art and architecture.

1392 - 1573

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Kichizan Minchō, <em>Monju Bosatsu</em>
Kichizan Minchō, Monju Bosatsu

Monju was a bodhisattva popular among Zen Buddhists, and he is here painted by a Zen monk-painter

Sessō Tōyō, <em>Haboku-style landscape</em>
Sessō Tōyō, Haboku-style landscape

Sesshu Toyo's painting involves a remarkable economy of brushwork, often called haboku (broken ink) or hatsuboku (flung ink).

Nanbokuchō and Muromachi periods, an introduction
Nanbokuchō and Muromachi periods, an introduction

Art coming from contemporaneous Ming-dynasty China as well older Chinese art deeply influenced Japanese arts, especially the emerging local tradition of ink landscape painting.

<em>Bamboo in the Four Seasons</em>: painting and poetry in Japan
Bamboo in the Four Seasons: painting and poetry in Japan

Originally a sliding wall, these golden panels use bamboo, a Chinese motif, to illustrate a Japanese poetic trope.

Ryōanji (Peaceful Dragon Temple)
Ryōanji (Peaceful Dragon Temple)

This atmospheric space awakens the eye, heightens the senses, and prepares the path for enlightenment.

Muromachi to Momoyama period Negoro ware ewer
Muromachi to Momoyama period Negoro ware ewer

This delicate red vessel resembles patinated metal, but it’s made from wood that’s lacquered (coated with sap).

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